Rare unrest flares in Tunis and Jebiniana after deaths linked to police actions

Police in Tunisia have clashed with protesters in the capital Tunis and in the southern town of Jebiniana after a series of deaths linked to police action and emergency response. The unrest is unusual for the country and has unfolded alongside growing anger over living conditions and public services. Demonstrations also spread to Sfax, where students protested another civilian death.

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In Ettadhamen, a suburb of Tunis, police fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse protesters after the death of a man detained on suspicion of drug dealing. His family said he died because of abuse by police officers after his arrest and called for the circumstances to be clarified and those responsible to be held accountable. Local media reported a different account, saying he died after swallowing drugs.

Protesters blocked roads, burned tyres and threw stones, while security forces moved to secure a National Guard station in the area. Separate clashes were reported in Jebiniana, in Sfax governorate, after the death of a man whose relatives said he died while being chased by security forces. According to local reporting, protesters there set a vehicle ablaze and burned tyres, while police again used tear gas.

In Sfax itself, students protested the death of a female student who suffered a cardiac problem, blaming ambulance services for taking too long to arrive. Her colleagues cited a lack of medical facilities and called for a strike at Sfax University's faculties on Friday. The unrest comes as Tunisia faces a deepening economic, social and political crisis.

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Public frustration has been building over deteriorating living conditions and poor services, and the latest protests suggest that local grievances can quickly turn into wider confrontations with the security forces. The incidents also add to pressure on the authorities at a time when the government is already facing criticism over its handling of the economy and political dissent. Tunisia has seen rare but significant bursts of unrest in recent years, often tied to unemployment, price pressures and disputes over state accountability.

The current flare-ups are notable because they involve several locations and different triggers, but they share a common theme of anger over deaths that families and protesters say were preventable. They also come after a large protest in the capital against President Kais Saied, reflecting a broader climate of dissatisfaction. What remains unclear is whether the authorities will open formal investigations into the deaths and whether the protests will spread further.

It is also not yet clear how many people were injured or detained during the clashes. For now, the key question is whether the unrest stays localised or becomes part of a wider wave of protest over Tunisia's political and economic crisis.

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